6. The Hotel’s Oak Room Was Once the Men’s Bar

The Oak Room opened along with the hotel in 1907 as the Men’s Bar and closed during Prohibition. It gained its current name after reopening but still maintained mens-only lunches during the week days. A protest led by Betty Friedan and the members of the National Organization for Woman led to a policy change in 1969. It closed in 2011 after a dispute between the hotel and the bar’s tenants, who would often throw loud and raucous parties and other events.